[en] The consumption of organic food products in Belgium increased significantly and
continuously between 2008 and 2016, growing from 1.5 % to 3.2% of the total consumers'
expenses for fresh food products. Nine percent of Belgian families buy organic food products at
least once per week and represent 60% of the total expenses. The total expenses per capita
reached nearly 33€ in 2015. The main expenses concerned dairy products (6.72 €/capita),
vegetables (5.57) and fruits (4.40). These expenses have been globally increasing. The market
share of organic products considerably varies from one type of food products to another: it is the
highest for meat substitutes (24.6% in 2016) and eggs (14.0%), while it reaches 3.0% for dairy
products, 6.6% for vegetables and 4.3% for fruits. These percentages have been globally
increasing during the last years. Vegetable products have been proportionally more sold th an
animal products compared to the situation in the conventional market. Supermarkets and
specialized shops are the most common distribution channels, direct sales on farms and open
markets remaining marginal. Families with high income and children and retired people with
high income are those who spend the most on organic food products. This evolution is supported
by the Walloon government through the organic farming development plan.
Disciplines :
Agriculture & agronomy
Author, co-author :
Burny, Philippe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Agronomie, Bio-ingénierie et Chimie (AgroBioChem) > Modélisation et développement
Language :
English
Title :
Recent evolution of the consumption of organic food products in Belgium
Publication date :
2017
Event name :
VIII International Agriculture Symposium "AGROSYM 2017"
Event place :
Jahorina, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Event date :
October 05-08, 2017
Audience :
International
Main work title :
VIII International Agriculture Symposium "AGROSYM 2017" : book of abstracts
Publisher :
Faculty of Agriculture University of East Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina